It has long been known in the disposable absorbent article art that it is extremely desirable to construct absorptive devices such as disposable diapers, catamenial pads, sanitary napkins, incontinence briefs, incontinence pads, and the like, which present a dry surface feel to the user for improving wearer comfort and to minimize the development of undesirable skin conditions due to prolonged exposure to moisture absorbed within the absorbent article. Accordingly, it is generally desirable to promote fluid transfer in a direction away from the wearer and into an absorbent element, while resisting fluid transfer in the reverse direction.
Conventional absorbent articles typically include an absorbent element (sometimes referred to as an absorbent core) interposed between a fluid pervious body-contacting element (sometimes referred to as a topsheet or an overwrap) and a fluid impervious protective barrier (sometimes referred to as a backsheet). The absorbent element is, of course, intended to receive and contain body fluids such as menses and urine. The body-contacting element is intended to provide more or less comfortable and dry-feeling contact with body surfaces while allowing free passage of fluids therethrough and into the absorbent element. The protective barrier is intended to prevent body fluids, which are expelled or which escape from the absorbent element, from soiling the user's garments.
The comfort of the user is enhanced if the absorbent article, in addition to its properties of high fluid transmisivity and fluid retention, exhibits the characteristic of uni-directional fluid transmisivity. This will improve what is known as the rewet characteristic of the absorbent product. Fluid should quickly and easily transmit through the topsheet and into the absorbent core. As the absorbent core becomes saturated, fluid will tend to pass back through the absorbent article, or rewet, causing user discomfort. As the absorbent core becomes increasingly saturated during use or is subjected to a pressure, there will be a tendency of the fluid to transmit back through the cover, or rewet the cover's surface and hence the body of the user. This discomfort caused by rewetting can cause the user to discard the absorbent product before its useful life has terminated. Therefore, it is desirable to inhibit such rewetting and thereby reduce user discomfort.